


what, me work?

by sunsetseas77



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, F/F, Relationship Negotiation, Responsibilities, Some Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 18:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15779598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetseas77/pseuds/sunsetseas77
Summary: Kara’s been away and Lena’s buried herself at the office. Kara tries to free her favorite workaholic.Kara crosses her legs and pats the spot on the couch next to her softly. “Bring your numbers and your laptop over and join me then. At least relax a little.”One slightly bloodshot eye looks at Kara from the paper mountain where Lena’s head still rests. She resists the possible trap. “I don’t think so.”





	what, me work?

Kara’s pacing next to Alex’s desk, the debriefing with her sister winding down, when she finally eases off on the impulse control. She’s been away most of the week helping out with a non-hazardous, diplomatic effort. An unforeseen communications issue narrowed her contacts down to irregular, brief conversations with the DEO. The blackout that occurred with everyone else is a major contributor to the intensity of the pull she now allows herself to feel.

Alex, noticing the increased frequency of Kara’s fingers twitching and eyes darting to the nearest exit, attempts to settle her.

“Kara, we’re almost done here. And if your mind is already where I think it is, let me remind you that I’ve spoken with her every day, including earlier today. The only reason I didn’t tell her you were back was because you requested that.”

Kara’s eyes come back to Alex. “Did you see her?”

Alex’s brow crinkles, unsure why that matters. “No.”

At Kara’s pursed lips, she asks, “Is that a problem?”

“You said you might try stopping by or meeting for a drink.”

“I did ask, but she told me she was wrapped up in spreadsheets.”

Kara lets out an extended sigh, then responds to Alex’s deepened brow furrow, “I’ve been gone for days. And I left her preparing for a special stockholder meeting and vote at the end of the week, along with end of quarter. I should get to L Corp.”

Alex’s forehead smooths out and she nods as if in complete understanding and support, even as Kara’s pretty sure Alex would be unimpressed by Lena’s ability to transform into, in Kara’s opinion, a workaholic disaster when under duress (bless Jess for doing her best to reign Lena in, but this week – well, their original plan had been to tag team managing Lena’s more over-the-top tendencies during it). She seems to take pity though, after that explanation, subjecting Kara to just two final questions before letting her know the report will be taken care of and releasing her.

Kara’s off as soon as the “That’s it,” is out of Alex’s mouth, her excitement at the prospect of surprising Lena vying with concern generated by her strong suspicion that she may have an office intervention ahead. And all she would really like to do is reconnect with her girlfriend.

Lena’s lamp is the singular bright spot on the upper levels of the building as well as in her office, where only dimmed wall lights illuminate the bar area and couch. Kara notes on approach the popping of Lena’s shoulders and neck as she stretches while looking between the papers covering her desk and her laptop.

The blankets stacked neatly behind the couch, the scattered mugs that Jess hasn’t removed yet, plus a few disposable cups from Lena’s preferred coffee spot and a takeout container in the trash, suggest the week’s story to Kara. She looks through to Lena’s private bath, and its contents, including the full garment rack, corroborate that Lena’s taken up residence. A careful approach will likely be needed to pry her out.

Kara touches down on the balcony in an audible pattern that lets Lena know it’s her. Shoulders and head rise from their hunched position over the desk and Lena spins her chair around with a tired smile. It still lights up her eyes.

Kara waits, knowing the door is locked, as she has requested. Her mantra is that bullet-proof doesn’t matter if someone has the chance to access the balcony and simply open the door. She’s convinced Lena locks it only to humor her given Lena’s penchant for an exaggerated assessment of the distance to the ground from the balcony any time Kara mentions it, but she appreciates the acknowledgement of her worry.

She watches Lena make her way over to the door, feet bare and suit jacket discarded, but otherwise still clad professionally in a sleeveless, ivory blouse and dark grey skirt. She is, after all, still working as midnight creeps closer.

The clicks of the security system freeing the locks were much-anticipated sounds on Kara’s flight over and she’s immediately stepping through and into a warm, familiar body that smells of vanilla and coffee. The embrace is just what she’s looking for along with the words that accompany it.

“Missed you,” Lena says, her breath starting on Kara’s neck and moving up and over her jaw before settling on her lips. Lena’s lips follow the exhaled air in making contact, and Kara is kissing the other woman with relief, hands burrowing into loose, silky hair, allowing no other thoughts to interrupt the moment as she lets Lena know she was missed as well.

Too soon she feels Lena’s lips leave hers. A trace of reluctance is present there when Kara looks down at her but the heel of Lena’s hand just under Kara’s collarbone is providing light but firm pressure as she moves out of Kara’s arms, straightens as if remembering her workload, and steps back to her desk.

A hand hovers absentmindedly by the desk's edge as she looks back at Kara. “Alex kept me in the loop. It sounded like things went fairly well. How long have you been back?”

“Diplomacy succeeded,” Kara agrees. “And about two hours.”

“Why didn’t you let me know?” Lena asks.

“I wanted to surprise you.” Kara grins, hoping to maneuver the two of them back to the ease of when she stepped through the balcony door.

She’s successful in that Lena smiles back and admits, “Hearing you outside has been the highlight of my week.” But her posture doesn’t relax as she adds, “So much to do.”

Lena’s hand now grazes a few stacks of quarterly printouts as she shifts her attention back to her desk, face determined.

“How have you been? Getting enough sleep?” Kara inquires, keeping her tone light.

“Of course.” Lena avoids eye contact as she sits and rolls her chair to her laptop. 

“Really?” She eyes Lena with a look Lena’s familiar with except Lena won’t look at her.

“At least 10 hours.”

Kara thinks that, for Lena, that’s both a bit excessive and doesn’t make any sense before her brain recalibrates. The words tumble out unfiltered. “I’ve been gone four nights!? Lena, you promised you’d try to get six hours a night. At home.” She pauses for emphasis. “In a bed.”

Not a trace of guilt is present in Lena’s expression as she turns to look up at her, giving a small shrug. “The week went to hell the day you left. We ran into a patent snafu and then the quarterly numbers weren’t adding up.”

Her voice becomes a bit harder with a touch of defensiveness creeping in. “Kara, the company is on the brink of a major shift. This meeting, this vote – they’re critical.” She puts both hands out, palms up. “And it’s not like I could reach you to take back my promise. That’s not a jab at you, it’s just a statement of fact… a reality check. I’m just taking care of what needs to be taken care of.”

She turns back to the reams of paper in front of her. “I’ve actually made good progress; I’m reviewing finalized reports and talking points for the meeting tomorrow before the vote. When tomorrow’s over it’s done.”

The glint in her eyes as she glances over to Kara this time hints at attempted distraction. “Then we could go away for a long weekend. How do the Canary Islands sound? The estate there is lovely this time of year.”

Kara doesn’t fall for it, though she lets a smile play briefly across her lips as she says, “It sounds wonderful,” before returning to what she likes to think of as her stern demeanor to add on, “But that’s not the point. You’re exhausted, and I’d bet you’re already over-prepared. Let me take you home now that I’m back.”

“No.” A single shake of the head accompanies Lena’s answer.

Kara tilts her head and tries her hands-on-hips stance, with extra biceps flex. “You know I could just carry you out of here.”

Lena responds to the blatant bluff by staring Kara down with a raised brow. Then she sweeps papers toward her to form a pile that she encircles with her arms, laptop balanced precariously on top. She lowers her head, using her cheek to pin the computer to the unstable pile. “Feel free to take us all.”

It’s ridiculous and, simultaneously, an absolutely Lena move that has Kara barely stifling laughter. Struck by how much she’s missed her girlfriend, she tries a new tack, abandoning the pose and going to sit on the couch. She crosses her legs and pats the spot next to her softly.

“Bring your numbers and your laptop over and join me then. At least relax a little.”

One slightly bloodshot eye looks at Kara from the paper mountain where Lena’s head still rests. She resists the possible trap. “I don’t think so.”

Kara finds herself admiring the almost-perfect mascara and eye shadow at – she glances at the watch visible on Lena’s wrist – 11:45 PM and wonders how Lena consistently achieves that, before stopping the mental tangent to focus on her goal.

A little voice is whispering at her as she ponders next moves, telling her that it’s about getting Lena to relax and take care of herself, but there’s also the smaller, more selfish aspect of getting to spend time with her. She could get both in a gentler, and maybe sneakier, way, the voice advises. Kara’s honestly just happy to be back and sharing Lena’s space; she should work from that. And, as she looks at Lena, she’s reminded how much she admires the CEO’s fierce determination to surmount obstacles and succeed, even with its side effects.

“I give up. Can I just stay here with you?” she asks politely.

Lena raises her head, looking a little uncertain at the sudden capitulation but gracefully allows it, “Of course.”

“And if you fall asleep and drool on your desk I can take you home and put you to bed.”

Lena nods, the ends of her lips quirking up briefly before she regains a neutral expression appropriate for important negotiations. “And if I don’t you’ll pick me up pastries from that little café in Lisbon.”

“I’ll do that either way.”

“Not your best choice of tactics but sounds like we have a deal.”

They mime shaking hands across the office. Lena starts deconstructing her paper pile and Kara, after taking off her boots and detaching her cape, reclines on the couch, getting comfortable.

When Kara hears footsteps approaching after an hour or so of on-and-off dozing, she opens her eyes and takes in Lena standing by her, hands empty except for her phone, and the lamp now dark.

“I didn’t fall asleep at my desk,” Lena insists. “And,” she adds more softly, “I should stay here.”

“You didn’t fall asleep,” Kara agrees before disappearing in a whoosh into the bathroom and reappearing to hold out comfortable clothes.

Lena takes them and quickly changes as Kara returns to her former position.

“Well-played with that patient, logical, caring, incredibly irresistible aura you were projecting from over here. It convinced me I could consider myself ready for tomorrow,” Lena tells Kara, a foot still on the floor, the opposite knee now kneeling on the couch. She sets the alarm on her phone and places it on the table with a warning look. “Don’t touch that.”

Kara dramatically crosses her heart with a finger before reaching out to take Lena’s hand. “Come here,” she says, as she draws Lena onto the couch, and partly on top of herself. She carefully massages Lena’s shoulders, neck, and back for several minutes, feeling Lena gradually melt with the touch, ready for sleep.

“Now rest. And I think I’ll do a fly-by of the Canary Islands on my pastry run in the morning,” Kara says, chuckling. “To get an idea of what I should pack.”

Lena looks up at her and smiles. “That was a legitimate offer.” Her head falls back down and she kisses Kara’s collarbone, whispering, “Good night.”

Kara kisses the top of Lena’s head and draws her cape around them to snuggle in for what’s left of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Writing 2K words based on the thought of Lena gathering all of the work she still has to do into her arms and then agreeing with Kara that she can carry her home.


End file.
